Still and still-setting



H. HE NDERSONQ STILL AND STILL SETTING?- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 19 16- SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Pateiited Mar. 30, 1920;

H. HENDERSON.

STILL AND STILL SETTING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. I916.

1,335,438. I Patented Mar. 30; 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- H.HENDERS0NL STILL AND STILL SETTING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, I916.

Patented Mar. 30, 1 920.

' s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- To all whom, it may concern:

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT HEND RSON, .OF PoRT A THUR, TExAs, ASSIGNOR To GULF REEINING coMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A coRPoRA'noN or EXAS.

STILL AND sTILL-sE TING.

Be it known that I, HERBERT HENDERSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at" Port Arthur, in the countyof Jefferson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stills and Still- Settings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stills and still settings; and it comprises a steam still adapted for use in distilling petroleum oils having a still body, advantageously of tank'- like construction, supported from the ground by steel or other framework, not substantially obstructing access to the bottom of said still body, the still body being provided with internal heating means and having an internal lining of fire brick or other refractory material at the bottom and extending part way up the sides, and an ex; ternal covering of fire brick or refractory material over and covering the topand extending part way down the sides; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the distillationof petroleum and petroleum oils for making the various commercial products, distillation may be effected by direct fire heating or by steam, as in using steam coils or in blowing steam through the oil, both these methods of heating being ordinarily' adopted in the various stages of distillation. This invention relates more particularly to apparatus to be used for I steam distillation. In the steam stills so called it is customary to provide a horizontal tank-like structure of riveted steel plates, having internal heating means, such means being generally either heating coils (closed steam) or perforated or open-ended pipes for the introduction of free steam (open steam) which may or may not be superheated. Both types of steam heating may be used together. steam stills is ordinarily completely brickedin for the purpose of heat insulation, the bricked-in still being supported upon a masonry or similar setting. These stills are of great size and weight and a solid setting is necessary. In effect the setting and heat insulation are. or may be combined in one structure. The difliculty obtains in this type of still that repairs are not readily practicable without completely or largely remo-ving the setting, and that leakage, which is Specification of Letters Patent.

The still body in these more likely to occur on the bottom, is not readily visible or detected, and is a frequent cause of accidents as Well as inconvenience andloss. It is not possible to get at the bottom plates without'breaking into the setting.

In the present invention I have overcome the noted disadvantages and secured certain new advantages by substituting for the usual solid masonry setting an open steel frame structure, making the bottom readily visible and accessible. This structure of course may be made of any strength desired without materially interfering with access tothe still or the visibility of the still body. For the purpose of securing the necessary heat insulation at the bottom, I use brick or masonry as in the old type of structures; but I do not use this, as is ordinarily the case, exteriorly, as part of the setting, but I use it interiorly for the purpose of heat insulation entirely. I arch over the top of the still with a suitable heat insulation, such as a number of courses of brick or tile, but I do not continue this layer around the bottom of the still where it would be more difficult to support it and where it would-interfere with visibility and accessibility. The upper in sulating coating is discontinued at a point about midway of the sides (if-the still and is- These top courses, or arch, of insulatin ma-.

terial, are supported from the still an not from the setting so that expansion and contraction of the still as a-whole does not disturb them. The lower half of the still is insul-atedwith brick or the like, usinga suitable number of courses on the inside of the still whereby the bottom steel plates of the still body are left naked for inspection. If a leak occurs it is at once seen, since the steel supporting frame permits ready visibility of the under still body. Access to and repair Patented "Mar. 30, 1920.1

Application filed March 14, 1916. Serial No. 84,180. I i

of any particular plate or seam in the bot-- tom of the still are of co urse easy.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one form of a still in an advantageous embodiment of my invention.

I supported from the ground by means of the tending steel or other framework 3 composed of upright beams 4., supporting crossbraces 5 and a skeleton cradle 6 shaped to conform to the contour of the bottom of the still. Acgusset plate, 6', extending from the crossbraces to the cradle angles may be used for stiffening the structure. a a I Approximately midway the height of the still body, and advantageously at diametrically opposite points, it is provided with outside angle irons 7, which may be riveted or otherwise securely attached in place. 1 These angle irons form a shelf-likesupport exalong the horizontal sides of the still. he still may be constructed of sheet iron or steel plates or any other suitable material. To avoid loss of heat by radiation, I provide an upper outer covering of heat insulating material 8 supported upon the stated angle irons and advanta eously constructed as an arch of tiles, re brick or other shaped refractory material. An as-' bestos covering or other additional heat insulating-means may be superimposed upon cover 8. An advantageous type of covering may be provided by using a layer of hair felt or, the like and above it acourse of hollow radial tiles. Within, the still is shown provided in its lower portion with a heat-insulating lining 9. An advantageous lining is afforded by using an inch layer of asbestos, then a course of brick, and a final finish coat of cement, sand and asbestos. The upper portion of the hemispherical head may be covered on the outside with hair felt and red brick laid in asbestos'cement with a finish coat of cement, sand and asbestos. As will be noted, theplates 10 are shown exposed in this lower section. These plates rest directly upon the stated cradle.

In the embodiment of this invention shown, internal heat is provided for by injection of steam. This steam comes from main line 11 through branch line 12 having connecting steam branch lines 13 leading directly into the still. These lines 13 lead to distributing tubes, (perforated pipes or tubes) 14 in the base of the still. There ma be as many of the branch steam lines an distributing pipes as may be necessary. The distributing means may be adapted for the use of close steam, open steam, or both. The particular means for heating this type of still, so long as the heating means are internal, may be varied widely. Instead of introducing steam through the lines shown, heating gases may be introsteam heating means.

duced; and instead of steam pipes there may even be fire fiues. The still is provided with safet test cook 17, an other usual accessories. As shown, it is connected to the usual type of tower" 18, or the like, for dephlegmatory purposes. This tower may be provided with anx of the usual filling or filming means, such as coke, tiles, transverse lates, etc. Oil is led to this tower through ine 19 and discharged through rose 20 or other distributing'device, flowing down through the tower, in a usual manner as a countercurrent against upwardly passing vapors, to partition 21 whence it gains access together with absorbed or condensed vapors to the still through ,run-back and inlet 22. Vapors leave the still through vapor outlet 23- and pass into the tower where they pass upwardly against the down flowin oil to escape at vapor conduit 24 leading to the usual condenser 25 in cooling box 26. Water outlet 27'leads to sewer 28 for draining accumulated water from the still. Pipe 29 feeds water to the condenser tank and pipe 30 discharges the overflow therefrom. Gages 31 show the height of liquid in the still. r

Asstated, other internal heating means, such as fire flues, may be substituted for the as shown with the particular type of heat valve 15, manhole 16, v

And the structureinsulation shown and its supporting skeleton cradle frame may be used for storage and other purposes. The structure, is useful, for example, for storing asolene andother oils. When not in use or distilling purposes it may be filled with low boiling liquids like gasolene. For this purpose, the type of heat insulation shown, protecting the contents of the tank from tern Jerature changes while allowing ready visibility of the metal bottom and detection of leakage, is highly useful. 7

What I claim is 1. A still provided with interior heating means and complete heat insulation for the walls thereof, the insulation being divided in two separately located parts, one such part surrounding the upper portion of the wall and the other part surrounded by the lower portion of the wall, and a support for the still exposing the lower portion of the walls to view and for easy access.

2. An interiorly heated still above the ground and supported by a frame work exposing the bottom of the still to exposing the lower portion to View, and interior heating means.

4. In a steam still and still setting, a still body having a naked bottom, a skeleton framework supporting said body, an interior heat insulating lining for the lower part of said body,-an exterior heat insulating covering for the upper part of said still body, and heating means inside the body.

5. In a steam still, a horizontal tank-like body of steel plate structure, the plates being exposed and visible for inspection at the bottom, a skeleton framework includin cradles supporting said bottom, lateral shelflike extensions on the sides of said body. interior heat insulation resting on the bot tom, exterior heat insulation on the top supported by said extensions and interior heating means.

6. In combination with a still body provided With interior heating means and having the upper portion of its outer surface covered by insulating material and a partial lining of heat insulating material upon its lower inner surface, of a supporting frame for the same comprising uprights, cross braces, a gusset plate, andaskeleton cradle for the bottom of the still.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

HERBERT HENDERSON. 

